A GRUELLING weekend's hockey reaped rich rewards for West Herts as they claimed three points and booked their place in the next round of the Hockey Association Trophy.

Bishop's Stortford were the Stags' hosts on Saturday in their Printwize Premier B clash, and despite their lower standing in the league, Stortford looked like confirming their status as West Herts' bogey side after opening the match with a sustained period of good movement.

As the Watford side settled into the match, the game became more evenly balanced, with few open chances, but short corners won at both ends.

Persistence paid off for Jason Murray in the 20th minute when his strike from a narrow angle on the right squeezed between the post and keeper.

The goal seemed to settle the visitors, and as they began to carve out numerous chances, including a near-miss from Graham Day, who narrowly failed to convert a sweeping move involving all the front line.

The second half was a more open affair, and after several near misses, Nick Doman tapped home from Day's square pass.

At 2-0, West Herts looked comfortable, but Stortford stepped up a gear and made Herts work hard in the closing stages.

A deflection into the bottom corner with four minutes to go forced Herts to re-apply themselves to their possession hockey, which was enough to break the bogey and bring home the three points.

Sunday brought the rain and Spalding to the astro-turf in Coningesby Drive, and West Herts were intent on making sure that neither spoiled their opening match in the HA Trophy.

With coach Dave Purchase making it abundantly clear that he expected a fast start, West Herts responded well.

Superb passing hockey opened up the Spalding defence time and again, and minutes in, Day created and converted a penalty flick to lead 1-0.

Tim Dean and Don Ward's combination down the right opened up further opportunities, and Day was quick to capitalise once more, before Richard Ambrose's deflection from the second short corner presented Doman with a sharp chance that he took with aplomb.

A collective lapse in defensive duties allowed Spalding hope in the 18th minute, but the movement and ball retention that West Herts have been working on were proving irresistible.

Murray came off the bench to make short work of a simple tap-in, before creating space at the top of the D to fire into the right corner.

Keen to turn the screw, West Herts started the second half as they finished the first.

Day completed a hat-trick within 40 seconds of the restart, and added his fourth and West Herts' seventh minutes later.

Cormac Hodgkinson rounded the keeper to lay on the simplest of goals for Murray to complete his own hat-trick, and as West Herts dictated play, Rob Schafe compounded Spalding's misery with two smartly taken reverse-stick efforts.

The final 10-1 tally was a credit to West Herts' passing and movement, and earned them a tie with Four Counties league leaders Henley.

West Herts squad: Monger, Weisbaum, Ward, Doman, Verrinder (captain), Egglesfield, Twine, R. Hodgkinson , Ambrose, Appleton, Dean, Purchase, C. Hodgkinson, Day, Murray, Schafe.

Goals from Simon Boterill, Greg Causer and a brace from Tim Martin fired Rickmansworth to their first win of the season, 4-2 at home to Luton.

Rickmansworth generally controlled the match, but again failed to kill the opposition off, and were held at the break.

With both sides reduced to ten men, the turning point of the match came with 15 minutes remaining when a stupendous save from Sankey, diving full length to his right and saving with his stick, denied Luton the chance to move ahead.

Buoyed by that save, Ricky went on to score two more goals, giving them the win their play deserved.

The following day Ricky were knocked out of the HA Trophy, 3-2 away at Cheshunt.

October 30, 2001 15:30